sábado, 2 de mayo de 2015

One more year, the group Komei Juku Paris-Savigny Sur Orge, led by Sekiguchi Gennosuke with the help and organization of his main deshi: Marie, David and Marc have offered an excellent seminar where we could learn many things from our sensei:
Sekiguchi Komei sensei: 21st Representative Musô Jikiden Eishin ryû iaijutsu by the Nihon Kobudô Kyôkai.
Nobuko Shimizu sensei, school leader Ryôen ryû naginatajutsu.

In my case it is the fifth time I go to Parisian lands to attend the seminar, but for Jorge and Carlos (our Spain team) was the first but probably not the last time.

I arrived in the morning of the 24th to Paris, having some free time to visit the beautiful city at the same time establish an appointment with the curator of the Guimet Museum of Oriental Art about their collections tsuba, which has me It has been very useful for my PhD thesis.
At night came Jorge, Mar and Carlos and prepared to sleep to start training on the 25th at 9am.

Keiko mornings: Ryôen ryû naginatajutsu.
Every morning, Shimizu directed the training naginata. At the beginning of each training some of the fundamental concepts and techniques of the school, were composed of:
Stretching and warming-up to practice naginata.
Juichi kamae 11 guards or basic positions.
Suburi takane-tomoe: descending and ascending to different targets basic cuts.
Tsuki kihon: thrusts with different types of the tip and the end (Ishizuki) of naginata.

As for kata, in this seminar we focus on the first two series of school.
Shôden no Bu: the first series of school. It consists of 10 kata performed in pairs (kumitachi) always face the katana (uchidachi) against the naginata (shidachi). First train shidachi part of all kata, paying attention to details and corrections teached us by Shimizu sensei. In the following days also we work the same kata in kumitachi, scoring several fixes for the part of uchidachi (katana).
Ryû no Bu: The second series of school consists of 5 kata. All these forms are designed to work the naginata alone, without an enemy. They are complex and long forms, introducing changes of rythm and new moves. The last one of these kata, it is the first time in school that we work Tantôjutsu (dagger), which is used in almost all of the third series kata (Tora no Bu).

Finally we review and correct the kata: Shihô Giri - Shihô Barai, used to inaugurate events or places and scare away evil spirits. The training of this kata is accompanied by the singing of a Rôei poem.
Shimizu sensei is very happy in Spain Ryôen ryû group becomes older and more and more people interested in this discipline of women warriors.

Seiza no Bu: This is the first series of Koryû, composed of 11 kata, all from a seated position (seiza). Although we work every kata, Jukucho placed special emphasis on corrections of the second (Ushiro) and eighth (Tsuke Komi).
Tate Hiza no Bu: The second round of school, composed of 10 kata, with 9 start from a half-sitting position. In this case also we work all shapes, insisting very important details of the third kata (Inazuma), the fourth (Ukigumo), the fifth (Oroshi) and ninth (Taki Otoshi).
Oku Iai Iwaza: In the third series, the first part consists of 8 kata from half-sitting position. Sekiguchi sensei emphasized the training of this series in the first kata (Kasumi) the third (Tôzume) and fourth (Tôwaki).
Oku Iai Tachiwaza: The second part of the third series, consisting of 10 stand-up kata and 3 in sitting position (seiza). In this series we studied the first 5 kata, spending a long time studying the first and second kata: Yukizure and Tsuredachi and different scenarios and possibilities that exist in both.
Bangai Sanbon: The first of the "extra" series Musô Jikiden Eishin ryû iaijutsu, with 3 kata, which in this seminar we review the first: Hayanami.
Bangai Gohon: This series in particular is unique to our line Komei Juku, as this kata came from of our 19th Representative Kono Kanemitsu. During this seminar we practice the last two: Takiguruma and Tatsumaki.
Tsume Iai no Kurai: The second and more advanced series of kenjutsu-kumitachi (work in pairs) in our Koryû. During this seminar, Sekiguchi sensei gave us the practice of kata sixth, Kurai Yurumi, eigth Ganseki Otoshi, ninth Suigetsutô and tenth Kasumiken.

Sekiguchi sensei payed atention to correct small details (extremely important) and the basic ways of how to manage the katana in Eishin ryû.
Personally I found it very interesting to study a free bunkai in kata Yukizure, putting ourselves in the skin of the people who risked their lives at the time. There were also variations of different henka waza (variations). Sekiguchi sensei talked about special teching that became the leif motif the seminar: "Always be awake inside, although not show out. Always be prepared to make any attack anywhere and any part of the katana or the body itself. The katana and the body must be alive at all times, do not make the kata as a zombie".

As a special event, during this seminar, Jorge Garcia, my best student of Spain dojo, signed as a member of the koryû Musô Jikiden Eishin ryû iaijutsu Komei Juku, becoming member of the Nihon Kobudo Kyôkai (Association of study and preservation of Japanese martial) old schools. Signing for Koryû is not something to be done lightly as it involves many responsibilities and duties.
Koryû prioritize any other martial art that is practiced.
Promise not to leave the keiko, continuously training the Koryû.
Train with Sekiguchi sensei at least once a year.

The responsibilities are linked with the fact that by signing by the school you become monjin, having authority to carry the kamon (family crest) school. This fact, as well as any action carried out, remains a personal responsibility to be something collective. At all times, you are representing Sekiguchi sensei and therefore the whole school, so you have to be extremely careful with the events to be held since personal actions can compromise the entire family of Komei Juku. Personally, I am very pleased that Jorge has signed for the school, and I hope that in the near future other deshi also achieve this honor. As Shibuchô is my responsibility to introduce people to sign for Sekiguchi sensei, so I do not have any hurry to get people to sign, preferring to show over the years a sincere commitment to the school.

While Jorge signed, Sekiguchi sensei told us that a father should always take care of their children even if it means making sacrifices. Sekiguchi Jukuchô is a father to all members of the Koryû but turn the Shibuchô (area representatives) should take care of their own children (deshi). Jukuchô teach bujutsu, but also how we should behave, as in life than on the dôjô.

I want to thank again the organization of Savigny, attendees from other parts of France, and Minori sempai (Sekiguchi Seisui - Ryôen Rinka) Normady Shibuchô always has nice words for me and helps me keiko.
Finally my biggest thanks go to Shimizu sensei, Sekiguchi sensei and, for passing on the teachings of their schools with such strengh and passion, in Spain Hombu we promise that not forget the corrections and will train hard to return much better next time they see us.